Macbeth, Hamlet and Your Business Results

Scottish warrior and nobleman Macbeth was impetuous. He took bold, reckless actions without first thinking things through. His fears, insecurities, superstitions and unreasonable desires were his main influences, with no support from deep thought or any consideration of consequences. With very little deliberation he kills the king, two palace guards and his good friend Banquo, all to fuel self-advancement. His rash behavior continues, eventually leading to his downfall.

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, was, in many ways, the opposite of Macbeth.Where Macbeth acted without thinking, Hamlet thought without acting.In the first half of the play he realizes that his uncle has killed his father, and then spends the balance of the play pondering whether to act. He waits until the very end of the story to make his move, and, although he does eventually kill his uncle to avenge his father, his lack of action leads to many other deaths, including his and his mother’s.

Both of these plays are called tragedies, because the hero’s fatal flaw leads to his demise. Both of these guy blew it, but for nearly opposite reasons. Incidentally, they both make awful role models for business leaders.

To create a successful business, you don’t want to be either Macbeth or Hamlet. I’ve have seen many CEOs play these roles, and in the end, it’s never pretty.

Where Macbeth fails immediately, Hamlet gets off to a good start. Analyzing the situation, figuring out what’s going on, and thinking your way to good conclusions is always a good idea. It’s just that Hamlet doesn’t do anything constructive with the fruits of his reasoning. He falls into a cycle of questioning and self-doubt that makes him fearful of action. At the same time, he continues to display a razor sharp wit and a quick mind, reminding us that Hamlet knows what he should do, but he just can’t do it.

If you want to drive business results and the value of your organization, never be an impetuous Macbeth. Shakespeare has many heroes who fall because of impulsive behavior, in addition to Macbeth, such as Romeo, Lear, Antony and Othello. He clearly has an opinion about the dangers of impetuous behavior, and we can only imagine the tragic, impulsive CEO characters he would create if he were alive today writing screenplays.

If Shakespeare were a CEO coach, he would clearly encourage his clients to analyze and discern his situation like Hamlet does at first, but then he would insist they act decisively. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Hamlet shows us what he really thinks about inaction.

Coach Shakespeare would likely point to two of his comedic heroines, Rosalind from As You Like It and Viola from Twelfth Night. These two brilliant women perfectly assessed their situations and then acted with determination to create the futures they wanted for themselves.

Forget Macbeth and Hamlet. Be Rosalind or Viola. Create your future by thinking deeply to evaluate your situation and determine your course, and then make things happen. Now.

Steve Yastrow has clearly described the emotional reality of customer relationships and their impact on profitable business growth.

Rhoda Olsen

President, Great Clips for Hair

Rancho La Puerta has enjoyed continued success because of the work we did with Yastrow and Company. Together, we implemented business strategies that have contributed to our success. Steve and his team truly believe in our brand. I highly recommend Yastrow and Company to any business that needs help building the bottom line.

Roma Maxwell

Director of Sales and Marketing, Rancho La Puerta

Rancho La Puerta has enjoyed continued success because of the work we did with Yastrow and Company. Together, we implemented business strategies that have contributed to our success. Steve and his team truly believe in our brand, and our experience with them was empowering, fun and a great learning opportunity. I highly recommend Yastrow and Company to any business that needs help building the bottom line

Roma Maxwell

Roma Maxwell, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rancho La Puerta

I give Steve two thumbs up—five thumbs up, if I had that many!

Roma Maxwell

Roma Maxwell, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rancho La Puerta

Our work with Yastrow and Company yielded the best long-term value of any consulting engagement we’ve ever had. As we grow and expand internationally, Acuative continues to depend on the branding approach and marketing tools Steve and his team developed. Yastrow and Company genuinely partnered with us, were exceptionally responsive and remain committed to our success.

Jennifer Whelan

Vice President of Marketing, Acuative

I highly recommend Yastrow and Company to any business that is intent on enhancing their customer experience. Prior to working with Steve, we were communicating various messages to customers. Steve and his team helped us achieve a cohesive brand message that we as a company live daily. Steve is an incredible listener and learned the nuances of our business rapidly. I can’t imagine anyone Yastrow and Company couldn’t help.

David Sank

President and CEO, Calico Cottage

Steve put together a program that produced spectacular results, and the quality of our communication and customer satisfaction is vastly improved. I’ve been in business for 40 years, and Steve’s the first consultant that I’ve gotten my money’s worth from. We’re going to continue to work with Steve and the bright, energetic people that are on his team.

Jim Winter

COO, Dimension Design

In one morning, Steve re-energized the way we look at marketing. The only question we had at the end of the session was, ‘When can we get him back?'

Doug Ducey

CEO & Chairman, Cold Stone Creamery, Governor of Arizona

When Steve Yastrow writes, I pay close attention.

Tom Peters

Founder, Tom Peters Company

Steve Yastrow knows his stuff. That's why our management team has read all of his books. And that's why we've had him as a keynote speaker at both client and employee events. From creating brand alignment, to selling more effectively, to providing top-notch customer service, Steve offers words of wisdom based on real-life experiences. He always engages his audiences with questions, interactive exercises and great storytelling that keep you coming back for more. Read Steve's books. Then book Steve. You'll be glad you did.

Ward Alles

CEO, Core Creative

In these high pressure times of bite-size communications we all hunger to be listened to and cared for individually. Our customers know great hospitality, the kind that is not about selling but treating their needs as our highest priority. Steve Yastrow’s teachings are applicable to any business that values long-standing success based on personal relationships.

Alex von Bidder

Managing Partner, The Four Seasons Restaurant, New York

Yastrow and Company introduced Brand Harmony and their Be the Brand concept to our team at Jenny Craig. I believe these new ideas contributed in helping us triple the company's revenue during my years as CEO.

Jim Evans

former President and CEO, Jenny Craig

I rarely book speakers more than once. But I’ve used Steve four times! Steve has our association’s interest at heart and works tirelessly to deliver customized programs. He always ranks highly with our affiliates because he is outcome-focused, fast-paced and highly engaging. Anyone looking for insight and understanding into marketing, branding and sales should book Steve!

Chris Miller

Executive Director, Professional Systems Network International

Steve Yastrow's teachings are applicable to any business that values long-standing success based on personal relationships.

Alex von Bidder

Managing Partner, The Four Seasons Restaurant, New York

We have seen huge benefits from Steve's input. Steve is unlike any other consultant I've ever worked with. He takes a genuine, deep-seated interest in our business. He is intuitive and able to identify problem issues quickly. We wouldn't be as far along in acheiving of our long-term growth strategy if we hadn't actively and aggressively pursued Steve's Brand Harmony.

Michael MacDonald

Executive VP Sales and Marketing, American Licorice Co.

We are absolutely better off after engaging Yastrow and Company. They helped us look at our business from our clients’ perspective, resulting in a cultural shift throughout our organization. These changes have made a big impact - we’ve gained new clients and strengthened relationships with existing clients. The investment was well worth it.

Marc Allen

Vice President of Sales, AMD Industries

“Steve’s workshops helped bring out what is best at Acuative. His insights were fresh and long-lasting—we continue to use his tools and approach years later.”

Jennifer Whelan

Vice President of Marketing, Acuative

Ditch the Pitch is a great read-- interesting, fun, and easy to follow. And I’ve already seen the concepts work. Just yesterday, I called a client and had a conversation that was 95% about the client, as the book suggests. At the end of the call, he sent a new matter my way. I ditched the pitch and it resulted in new business.

Attorney

Chicago, IL

Steve’s approach to integrating all customer contacts into a comprehensive marketing message is a must in today’s information age. We have partnered with Steve to develop our integrated and comprehensive marketing message, and as a result of his excellent work, his new book is required reading for all of our employees.

Craig Dwight

Chairman & CEO, Horizon Bancorp

Steve Yastrow is at the forefront of the next evolution in marketing. We have implemented many of his innovative ideas... and have seen very positive results.

Mike Depatie

CEO, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants

Not only is Steve's content sound, but the energy he displays in delivering it will knock your socks off.

Kathleen Phillips

Ernst & Young, Chicago, IL

Steve is a creative and collaborative speaker who communicates his ideas clearly and concisely. He immediately understood our business needs and provided a better perspective on how our customers see us as a company. I have referred Steve to our customers in the past and I will continue to do so. He’s intuitive and has a unique way of looking at business. Steve has the experience to turn a project into something extremely valuable for any organization. I strongly recommend working with Yastrow and Company.